


Creating Anew

by LittleSweetCheeks



Series: Family Matters [4]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Pregnancy, Surrogate, Twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-08-12 00:22:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 16,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7913188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSweetCheeks/pseuds/LittleSweetCheeks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“When?”  Reid perked up.</p><p>Aaron blushed at revealing his thoughts, “I was thinking of trying again.”</p><p>“I would like that.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Reid filed for Hotch’s leave to be reinstated as soon as they got back home.  He then dragged his partner to couples counseling twice before their family trip to the mountains.  When it was time for Reid to return back to work a few weeks later, Hotch had been diligent in his promise to not drink and to talk to anyone.  There had been conversations with Rossi, who shared his own grief from when his child died, and with JJ and Emily who simply listened and consoled. 

Three months after their loss, Hotch returned to work officially, this time much better prepared to cope with their job.

Reid woke early one morning to Hotch ghosting his hands over him, not quite tickling.  “Morning.”

Aaron smiled and nuzzled into his neck, “You’re awake.”  He curled one leg around Spencer’s hip.

“Yes.  Someone woke me up.”

“Why would I do that?”  Aaron rocked against him.

Spencer turned and pressed his lips to Aaron’s, “Are you sure?”  Sex had been but a faint memory in the previous few months. 

“Please?  I need to feel you.”  Aaron pressed in to deepen the kiss.

When they came up for air, Spencer found he couldn’t refuse, “Okay.”  He stared to roll onto his stomach.

Aaron sat up, “No, I…Can…” He blushed.

Spencer cupped his cheek, “It’s okay, Aaron.  However you want.”

He nodded and leaned forward, arranging the pillows behind his lover so he sat at a slight angle.  He dug out the lube and sat it on the bed before kneeling down and taking Spencer’s half hard cock in his mouth.

Spencer couldn’t help but thrust into the warm space.  It had been too long.  Once he was hard, he felt the mouth move away and waiting to be breached.  He heard the snap of the bottled and then Aaron moan.  Spencer opened his eyes and was speechless at the sight.

Aaron was kneeling, straddling him now, his own cock bouncing in front of him while he fingered himself open.

Spencer watched in awe as each added finger caused more panting and moans from his husband.

Finally Aaron pulled back and slicked Spencer’s erection, “Ready?”

“Yes.”  He controlled his breathing as Aaron sank down onto him.  “God, please move.”

“It’s,”  Aaron panted, “I needed this.  It’s perfect and too much all at once.”  He adjusted and started sliding up and down the shaft, riding the younger man.

Spencer could see this wouldn’t last long.  He held onto Hotch’s hips as his riding got harder and then more erratic.

“Please hold me.”  Aaron begged.

Spencer knew they were both close as he grasped Hotch’s member with a firm hand.  He pumped twice and then they were both coming, seeing stars as they emptied themselves of months of need.

Reid opened his eyes to find Aaron above him, braced with a hand either side of his head.  “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Hotch leaned in for a kiss.  “As soon as I can feel my legs, I’ll get you a cloth.”

Spencer glanced down at the mess covering his chest. 

When Aaron had cleaned them both up, they wandered into the kitchen. “I was talking to Emily the other day and we got onto the conversation of the frozen embryos.”

Spencer sat at the table, “Okay.”

“She asked if we were going to use them.  I said I hoped we would.”

“Why’d she ask?”

Hotch passed him a coffee, “She said she’s getting older and wanted a family of her own, even if she had to get creative.”

“She asked to use them?”

“Only if we weren’t.”

“It would mean a child that’s half yours walking around not knowing you.”

Hotch nodded, “And when we use them, it would be the same thing for her.”

“ _When_?”  Reid perked up.

Aaron blushed at revealing his thoughts, “I was thinking of trying again.”

“I would like that.”


	2. Chapter 2

Their first call the following week had been to Annie, who readily agreed to be their surrogate again and then to the clinic to get started.  Once a date for transfer had been set, Spencer found a moment to talk to Emily when she left the bullpen to grab lunch.  “Hey, can I join you?”

Emily smiled at him, “Sure.”

“I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Once they stepped out into the sunshine she asked, “What’s up?”

“Aaron said you asked about the embryos.”

“Oh, that.  If it’s weird, it’s okay. I just wondered about them.”

“No,” He took her arm, “We’re going to try again but… You’re welcome to them as well.”

“Are you sure?”

“We talked about it.  Several times.  And each time we came up with the same conclusions.  There are six left, we can split them three and three.”

“It’s not how things are usually done, you know.”

“I know.”  He shrugged, “But when do we ever do things the normal way.”  He followed her to the shop, “We were going to name you godmother because in a way, you sort of are.  Without you there would be no baby.  We want the baby to know they were so loved even before they existed that you did this to make them.”

“Aww, really?”

“Really.” 

Emily pulled him into a hug, “Thank you.  I’ll think about it okay.”

“Okay.  Annie is scheduled to be transferred in two months; we have to do cycles again.  You know… Nevermind.”

She ordered before turning to him, “Come on Spencer, what?”

“If you booked an appointment, you and Annie could be implanted in the same month.”  He gave her a beaming grin, “I wonder if they would still be considered twins!”  He laughed.

=====

Emily made an appointment and started her injections without alerting anyone besides Spencer.  She didn’t want tons of fuss just yet.  The day of her transfer, Emily had asked if Reid could help her with a project and Hotch bid them both farewell from the office.

When Reid arrived home from Emily’s that evening, Hotch greeting him, “So, what was it you guys were up to?”

“Oh.”  Spencer dropped his messenger bag and kicked off his shoes, “Emily didn’t want me to say anything before now.”

“Okay.”  Hotch stopped what he was doing and frowned slightly.  “What?”

“Do you remember saying she could use some of the embryos herself?”

“Yes, was agreed to split them. Three are hers to do as she pleases.”

“Well,” Reid was suddenly nervous about being the one to deliver to news, “She had them implanted today.”

It took Hotch a minute to catch up.  “Really?”

“Yeah, she just went for it.”

Hotch moved to sit in the recliner, “She’s really going to try to have a baby?”

“Yep,” he replied, popping the P.

“But Annie’s…”

Spencer sat on the arm of the chair, “Getting implanted next week.  If they both take, they’ll be due at about the same time.”  He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Aaron’s lips, “And you, Agent Hotchner, will have successfully knocked up two women at once.  The stories people will tell!”

Hotch shoved him off the chair and then laughed at the surprised look on his face.


	3. Chapter 3

Three weeks later, the team found themselves standing over a pair of bodies left to bake in the Arizona sun.  JJ was trying to figure out how Reid had somehow managed to be the one to stay back at the station as she breathed through her mouth while trying to build of profile from the assortment of dismembered parts.  When Emily coughed slightly beside her, she asked, “Em, are you okay?”

Emily waved off her concern, “I’m fine, the smell is a bit much.”

Both women looked up when Hotch stepped over to them, staring out across the desert behind his sunglasses, “Emily, would you find out where we stand on ID-ing these two?  Maybe speed them up a little?”

Emily furrowed her brow slightly, normally JJ did the chasing, but then she realized Hotch was watching her intently now, “Sure.”

“Thank you.”  He watched her go.

“I could have done that.”  JJ injected.

“I know.  I thought I would mix things up this time.”  He turned and walked away.

=====

Emily hung up her phone and took a swig of water from her bottle as a shadow fell across her.  She turned to find Hotch, sunglasses in his hand, standing close, studying her, “They said any time and we’ll have our info.”

“Good.”  He glanced around to make sure everyone was still busy, “I think you should stay at the precinct and keep track of incoming information.  Reid can come out here in the heat.”

“I’m fine Hotch; it was just bodies in this heat are worse smelling than at cooler temps.”

Hotch nodded, “I think maybe you would be best suited to the tasks we have in the building and Reid can help go over the scene here.  Look at things with his unique perspective.”

She gave him a confused look, “Okay, I’ll go back and send him out.”

“Thank you.”

Emily nodded in acknowledgement. 

“We’ll talk later tonight.  Okay?”  He waited for another nod before returning to the scene and the CSU techs collecting evidence.

=====

Spencer was stretched out on the hotel bed when Hotch finally stepped in, “You know, Emily seemed really put out that she got benched.  What happened?”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  Morgan said she was upset.”

He shed his coat and tie and shoes, depositing each in its proper place.  “I’ve asked her to come talk to me.”  He took in his husband’s sleep pants and nothing else.

“Do I need to leave?”

“That may be for the best.”

“Okay.”  He collected his drink and some files and padded out the door, pulling it shut behind him.

Hotch rearranged his things, nervous tidying he knew, but he couldn’t help it.  Finally Emily knocked and he ushered her in.

“What was the real reason you pulled me today?”

“You didn’t look well.  I know cases hit us all differently and we had a handle on it.  There was no reason for you to torture yourself.”

“I was fine, Hotch.  Yeah, the heat sort of bakes everything, but it’s not like we haven’t seen that before.”

“And this morning when we were eating downstairs?”

“I…”  She thought a minute, then smiled slightly, “I think I’m pregnant.”  She met his eyes.  “Should I test?”

“I know they say not to, but at the very least maybe you should take precautions as if you were.”

“Precautions?”

Hotch nodded, “Drink more water, especially in this heat, rest, eat better.”

She smiled, almost giddy at the prospect, “I will.”


	4. Chapter 4

Annie confirmed she was pregnant a week later.  Aaron was sitting in the kitchen when Spencer came home and took in his pale face.  “What’s wrong?”

“How is this going to work?”

“What?”

“Annie and Emily.”

Spencer shrugged, “To a point both of them are independent of us.  You technically only need to worry about Emily in a boss capacity and Annie will carry on like before.”

“Right.”  He took a swig of the water that was warming in front of him.

=====

Days before her first official prenatal visit, Emily found herself hovering over a toilet in a rural Ohio bathroom.  She couldn’t believe how badly morning sickness had been affecting her.  She heard the bathroom door creak open and footsteps of her friend across the tile,

“Em?”

“In here, Jayje.”  She tried to push herself up just to have another wave hit her.

“Emily?  Are you sick?”  JJ pushed the stall door open and pulled her friend’s hair back.

After a minute Emily sat back and looked up, “No, I’m okay.”

“You’re not okay Em if your in here like this.”  She fetched damp paper towels.

“It’ll pass.”

“What?”  JJ’s eyes widened, “Are you…?”

Emily nodded.  “I don’t want anyone else to know yet.”

“Else… Is that why Hotch insisted I check on you?”  She helped her friend stumble to the sink.

She nodded again.

“Who’s the father?”

Emily bit her lip, “I’ll tell you, I promise, but not right now, okay?”

“Okay.”

When the pair emerged from the bathroom, Hotch was standing in the hall with several files in his hand,  “Prentiss, we’re going to check out these businesses.  Our victims all made purchases in or near these locations before they vanished.”  He looked all business except for his eyes, which were looking her over to make sure she was okay.

As soon as the SUV was moving he glanced over, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, this being sick is throwing me off.  It shouldn’t last much longer though.”  She opened the files and read over the businesses.  “Where to first?”

“Let’s do the convenience store first.”

“My prenatal appointment is on Saturday morning.”

“Spencer told me.”

“Are you guys going to come?”

“Do you want us to?”

Emily thought a minute, “I think so, yeah.  I know the plan was I’m doing this alone, but having a friend there couldn’t hurt.”

He reached across and patted her arm, “Then we’ll be there.”


	5. Chapter 5

First thing Saturday morning Jack had begged to go with the neighbors to the park and Spencer and Aaron headed off to Emily’s appointment.  The doctor seemed surprised to see them, “Did you switch surrogates?”

“No, just supporting a friend.”

“Oh, how nice.”  The man did his exam and then pulled out the ultrasound, “Let’s have a look at the baby now.”  He slid the wand across Emily’s stomach.

“Is that…”  Spencer started.

Aaron gave him a questioning look as the doctor answered, “I saw it too.  We’ll get to that in a minute.”

Emily looked back and forth, “What?  Is something wrong?”

“No.”  The doctor replied, “Nothing at all.  Both babies are healthy and just the right size for about eight weeks gestation.”

“Both babies?”

“Yes, you’re having twins.  It looks like two of the eggs implanted.  Congratulations.”

Emily was stunned silent.

=====

Annie was sitting in Emily’s kitchen, “Twins?  Wow, that’s awesome.”

“It’s surprising.  I never really thought about the possibility.”  Emily poured them both juice and joined her at the table, “If Aaron wasn’t hovering before, I’m sure he will be now.”

Annie chuckled, “He’s not so bad.  Though, when you turn him down he gets that wounded puppy look.”

“I know.  And it’s not bad for you because you have your own independent life.  I work with him.  Our team practically lives together.  We are together so freaking much that we notice when someone has to borrow someone else’s shampoo or shoes.  It’s ridiculous.”  She sighed with a grin on her face, “But it does mean I’m never alone in anything.  If I need a friend, someone is there. And Garcia!  You can’t go missing or even for a late lunch without her tracking your movements!”

“Really?  I thought that was an act?”

“Oh, nooo.  She will hunt you with a single-mindedness that only she can muster.”

“So, I have a question.  When do you plan on telling your team about being pregnant?”

=====

Both women decided to wait another month before announcing it officially.  Emily was having a hard time keeping it from Penelope, who wouldn’t be able to keep the secret, so any longer wouldn’t work.

Finally the day came when both ladies said it was time to announce their pregnancies, Emily said they should do it at a team gathering.  So Aaron and Spencer found themselves sitting in Rossi’s back yard, watching Henry and Jack play.  Most of the team was around the table when Emily poured herself another glass of water.

Morgan decided to tease, “What’s with all the water lately?  Going on a new kick now, no drinking?”

“Well, for a while anyway.”  She tugged Annie close, “We’re doing it together.”

“Is this some sort of girlie weight loss thing?”  He pressed.

The two women shared a look, “No actually,”  Annie started, “It will be a weight gain thing.  For the next six months or so anyway.”

JJ coughed and spluttered out her wine, “No!  Both?”

The ladies nodded, smiling brightly.

Morgan looked from JJ to the pair, “What?”

“They’re _both_ pregnant!”  JJ scrambled up to give them hugs, followed by Garcia and the Morgan.  Rossi met Hotch’s eyes and raised an eyebrow.  When Hotch smirked, Dave nodded.

“I didn’t even know you were seein’ someone Princess.”  Morgan said.

“I’m not.  I decided to make my own family.”

“You did?”

She shared a glance with the couple, “Since the embryos Hotch and Reid are using are half my DNA, they agreed to split up the remaining ones.”

“So, wait.  Your baby is half you and half Hotch and” he pointed to Annie, “your baby is half her and half Hotch.” 

“Yes.”

“So genetically, the kids will be siblings.”

“Yes.”

Morgan laughed, “Married to Pretty Boy and Hotch still manages to knock up two hot mamas at the same time.  Damn.”

Spencer leaned in to Aaron, “See.”

Aaron sat his glass down, “There’s more.”

“More?”  Rossi asked.

Emily broke into a huge grin, “I’m having twins!”

“How far along are you?”  Garcia asked.

“We both go for our twelve week appointments on Tuesday.”  Annie turned to the bubbly blonde.

Penelope’s jaw dropped, “Both twelve weeks?  You’re really doing this _together_ together?  Oh my god, three new babies all at once?”  She fanned herself, “It’s too much!”


	6. Chapter 6

It took time, but Emily settled in to the extra attention and coddling from her teammates.  Out on cases, Hotch never outwardly showed signs of special treatment toward her.  He doled out assignments just like always and said nothing of her condition hampering her work.  Reid did little things like leaving healthy snacks around their workspace and on the jet and always buying extra water and juice.  She wouldn’t admit it, but she liked the moments of fuss from him.

One afternoon, she caught up with him, “Thanks for all the snacks.  They’ve always appeared right when I’ve needed them.”

“Oh,”  He looked a little surprised, “Aaron told me to get them for you.”

“Really?”

Spencer nodded, “He said if he was constantly the one doing it, people might talk, but I’m just helping a coworker.”

“Oh.”  She pondered that, “Tell him thanks then.”

“I will.”

=====

It was well past dark when Hotch pulled into the driveway.  He was surprised to see a car parked to one side as he pulled into the garage.  In the dim light, he could see dinner dishes in the sink and the glow of a TV from the family room.  Hotch stopped in the doorway and watched Spencer and Emily curled together under a blanket watching a film.

After several minutes, Spencer looked up and saw his husband standing, watching.  “You’re home!”  He smiled.  “Jack went to bed already, but he wanted to make sure you saw his essay, it’s on your desk.  He got an A on it.”

Hotch nodded, “What are you guys watching?”

“An Italian film, your dinner is in the kitchen.”  Spencer added, “You can come join us if you want.  The subtitles are good if you don’t feel like taxing yourself remembering your Italian.”

Emily had watched the exchange, “We can pause it if you want.”

“No, I’m going to change and eat.  Enjoy your film.”  He turned and headed up the stairs.  He knew Emily and Spencer had become fast friends when she’d joined the unit.  She never once acted like he was odd or strange and he had embraced the easy friendship.  Both were so used to people wanting something out of them, that the notion that the other only simply wanted to be their friend was refreshing one.

Hotch was happy Spencer had someone to turn to.  They didn’t often have their moving nights here, but he figured plans had been changed when he’d asked Spencer to look after Jack for the evening.  It was odd to see his spouse wrapped in the arms of someone else, but he knew it was a deep solid friendship they had.

Once changed, Hotch slipped to the kitchen and warmed his meal.  He took it to the office and sat and ate while reading over Jack’s report.  His son definitely had a gift for words.  When he finished, Hotch glanced in on the pair snuggled on the couch before heading to bed.  He didn’t want to intrude on their time.

Later, Spencer crawled under the covers, “You didn’t come back.”  He whispered.

Aaron rolled over and spooned him, “I didn’t want to intrude.”

“Intrude?”

“You two have your thing.  It’s important that you both have that.  I don’t need to be all over every inch of your friendships with other people.”

Spencer smiled and pulled one of Aaron’s hands up and kissed the palm, “I love you.”

=====

The weeks flew by and before they knew it, Aaron and Spencer were sitting in a waiting room, waiting to attend Annie and Emily’s back to back appointments to see the babies and hopefully find out the genders.

A nurse stepped into the waiting room and approached the ladies, “The doctor sent me to ask if the two of you would like to simply come back to one room since you are all together?”

“I didn’t know we could do that.”  Annie replied.

“Well, normally we don’t, but the gentlemen will be present for both?” She waited for confirmation, “And I’m guessing you would like to be present for both as well?” Again, she waited, “Then we can do it.”

Annie stood and chuckled good naturedly as Emily took a bit more effort already.  The pair followed the nurse with the guys following them.

“Okay, who’s first?”  The doctor asked.

Emily pointed to Annie, “Do her, only one baby to check.”

Annie lay out on the table and waited as the doctor did his exam and pulled out the ultrasound wand.  “Ready?”

The image of a baby appeared on the screen and the doctor took several photos.  “Everything looks good.  And it looks like you will be having a little boy!”

Emily hugged the two men, “Another boy.  Jack will be so thrilled.”

Soon enough it was Emily’s turn.  As the doctor checked over baby A, he glanced up, “These babies have the same father, correct?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Well, it’s the men who determine gender.  And baby A is a boy.”  He smiled at her.

Emily looked to Hotch, “Seems you only know how to make boys.”

“Well, maybe not,” The doctor cut in, “Baby B is a girl.”

“Okay,” She smirked, “One out of five.” 

Spencer leaned in for a hug, “Congratulations, Em.  You’re going to be a great mom.”


	7. Chapter 7

A case had immediately dragged them away to Oklahoma.  Hotch was exhausted as he dragged back into the station shortly before midnight.  He frowned when he saw Emily, who looked quite pregnant already, stretched out on a couch along a wall.  He knelt and shook her shoulder, “Emily.”

She blinked awake, “I’m sorry.”  She tried to push herself up.  “I’m awake.”

“No, you need to go back to the hotel and sleep.  I should have thought to send you back hours ago.”

“Hotch, I’m fine.”  She rubbed her stretched belly.   “I can’t believe I’m so big already.”

He smiled softly, “May I?”

“Sure.”  She took his hand and placed it on one side.  When a kick bumped at him, they both smiled.  “She’s more active than he is.  She takes charge.”

He stood and offered his hands, pulling her up, “Let’s go.  I already sent the others anyway, I’ll drive you,”

“If you already sent the others, why did you come back?”

“I, uh, I was going to go over everything again.”

She shook her head, “No, not tonight.  Tonight you sleep.”

=====

The pair quietly made their way to the SUV and then to the hotel.  When they got out, Hotch took her bag, ignoring her protests, and helped steady her as she walked heavily into the lobby.  In the elevator, Emily found herself leaning into him, one of his arms wrapped firmly around her back.  The feel of someone caring for her was nice, so she let him carry on until she had been deposited in her room.

Hotch turned and made his way to his own room he was sharing with Spencer.  He stepped in and found his partner lying naked in the bed on his stomach.  Hotch stripped off his suit and crawled in alongside him, peppering his back and shoulders with kisses.

Spencer sighed at the touch, “I thought you were going to work all night.”

Hotch continued his trail until he was lying completely covering Spencer’s body, teasing his ear.  “I was, but Emily was there asleep and I brought her back.”  He gently thrust his hips into the younger man’s ass, “I got to feel one of the babies kicking.”

Spencer turned his head to the side, “That explains it then.”

“What?”  Aaron pulled back.

“This.”  Spencer pushed his ass up, “Not that I’m complaining at all.  You like to see a woman heavy with your baby.  Annie’s barely showing, but Emily practically looks term already.  When Annie was pregnant before, you were always so horny after spending time with her.”

Aaron frowned, “Really?  I wasn’t…I didn’t mean to..”

“Aaron.”  Spencer rolled beneath him, “I’m not complaining.  I get it.  I’m fairly certain if it was me pregnant, I’d never get to leave our bed.  Even though she’s raising them on her own, Emily is still carrying children you helped create.”  He tugged him down, “Make love to me.”

His eyes roamed the thin body beneath him.  Even after several years, he couldn’t get enough of the younger man.  He leaned in and pressed a deep kiss to his lips.

Spencer’s hands came up and clung to Aaron’s hair and neck.  He shifted until their half-hard cocks were aligned and thrust several times.  Often sex while on cases was desperate and messy, a release of tension and frustration.  Tonight promised to be different.

Aaron edged off the bed and fished out some lube and condoms.  He climbed back up the bed, “I love you.”

“I know.”  Spencer took the lube and spread it in his hand, “Let me show you what you do to me.”  He let his legs fall to the side, exposing himself completely, and began to finger himself open.  His other hand was clinging to the sheets, “God, Aaron, just thinking about you makes me feel so good.”  One finger became two and his body jerked as he brushed his prostate, “Aaron,”  he groaned. 

Aaron was speechless and turned on at the sight.  They would prep themselves, but it was never done as a show like this.  He could feel himself thickening and lengthening from it.  “God, Spencer.”

Spencer’s eyes tracked down his partner’s body, “Show me what this is doing to you.”

Aaron stroked himself once before taking the lube himself and coating his fingers.  He started with two and cried out at the intrusion, “Spencer!”  He gasped.

Spencer could feel his dick twitch.  “Aaron, I need you in me.  Now.”  He panted. 

Hotch grabbed for the condoms, their one concession to hotel stays so neither ended up in a wet spot later, and rolled one on each of them.  He eased Spencer’s fingers out of himself and pressed a towel to his hands before lining up and sliding in.  Spencer’s fingers were thinner than his own, so he was never stretched quite as much when he prepped himself.  Hotch groaned, “You’re so tight!”

Spencer cried out and arched at the connection, “Fuck me, Aaron!  Fuck me!  Please!”

He maintained a slow, even pace, wanting to draw it out as long as possible.  He alternated pressing kisses to his lips and sucking and nipping at his nipples. 

Eventually, Spencer heard himself begging and crying out more.  He couldn’t control himself when Aaron’s large hand wrapped around his cock and pumped in a faster rhythm than the strokes in and out of his ass.  With cries and shouts, he was coming hard and seeing stars.

Aaron watched the condom on his hand fill and couldn’t breathe.  It was beautiful to watch the man beneath and around him lose control.  The feel of his body trembling and pulsing around his own cock left him panting and sweating, trembling for release.  He held out until Spencer had relaxed and started to soften.

“Take me Aaron.”  Spencer ordered.

He couldn’t hold back any longer, “Yes, I need you, I always need you.”  He closed his eyes and pounded as hard and fast as he could, chasing the coiled feeling in his belly until his felt himself exploding and the bed quaking.

Both men panted in the silent room. 

=====

Aaron was looking over a file with Emily sitting across from him eating breakfast when Rossi sauntered in and slid a receipt across the files.

“What’s this?”

“Receipt for reimbursement.”

Hotch looked it over, it was for the hotel minimart.  “What is this?”

“Earplugs.”

“You expect the Bureau to pay for your earplugs?”  Aaron looked up at him.

“No.  I expect the horny bastards who kept me up all night to.”  Dave groused.

Emily coughed and spluttered, sending bits of donut and juice across the pages.


	8. Chapter 8

The rest of the day had been spent following leads.  Morgan and JJ had leaded to canvas neighbors while Rossi and Reid had gone to the last dump site again.  A LEO rushed into their conference room, “There’s been a call of a woman screaming for help in a building on the edge of town.  Some kids riding their bikes can hear someone screaming.”

Hotch and Emily were both out of their seats and rushing for the door.  They followed the cop out to the vehicles and climbed in their own to rush to the scene.

Once there, they could hear the woman still screaming out.  “We need to get in there.”  Emily told Hotch.

“You should stay out here.”  He replied.

“You can’t go in without backup.  I’ll be fine.  I’ll stay far enough back.  Come on.”

After a moment, he nodded and moved to the metal door, trying the handle and finding it open.  “Stay alert.”

They cleared the first floor and then the second.  The woman had gone quiet now, no longer covering their steps with her screams.  On the third floor, they found their unsub leaning over her body, carving into her with a hunting knife.

“FBI! Freeze!”  Hotch shouted.

The man froze only a moment before taking off at a sprint with Hotch in pursuit.  The man ran up to an open window space, stopping at the last minute with Hotch still rushing closer.

Emily couldn’t breathe as she watched the man grab her boss and use his own momentum to fling him out of the third story opening.  She paused and aimed her gun, firing three shots and sending the man crumpling to the ground. 

=====

Emily called for an ambulance; back up was already on its way.  The victim was dead, the unsub was dead.  She carefully walked down the flights of stairs and out into the fading sunlight to check on Hotch.  As she rounded the corner, she stopped and stared at his crumpled body.  A tight pain in her stomach had her holding her breath and leaning against the wall.  “Great.”    Once she could stand, she approached Hotch’s body and knelt on the ground, reaching for his neck.  “Hotch?”  She could feel a pulse.  “Hotch!  Can you hear me?”  She didn’t dare shift him, “Hotch?”

He remained silent and still.

All she could do was wait for help and keep one finger on proof he was still alive.

=====

When the ambulances had arrived, she told them where to find the two dead bodies and then told them what had happened to Hotch.  When once paramedic saw her holding her breath and wincing, he had insisted she also get checked out.

Just as the pair was being loaded up, the vehicles carrying the remainder of the team arrived, everyone demanding answers.  In the end Spencer hopped in the bus with Aaron and JJ with Emily.

=====

Spencer had watched as the EMTs carefully strapped Aaron to a backboard and into a neck brace.  He had watched as they had cut his pants to gain access to his mangled leg and ripped open his shirt to place leads.  So far he knew his partner was alive and breathing on his own, but there wasn’t much else to know.


	9. Chapter 9

Emily had been admitted for observation, leaving her out of the loop as to how Hotch was doing.  Eventually Rossi strolled into her room.  “How’s Hotch?”

He sat in a chair and pinched the bridge of his nose, “He’s alive.  Breathing on his own.  He has a severe break of his right leg just above the knee.  The surgeon said it was like reassembling a jigsaw puzzle.  There’s more screws and plates in there now than bone.”  He sighed and continued, “They’ve been doing CAT scans and there’s no sign of head trauma.  They think he must have flipped and landed mostly feet first.  Though, his left hand is also pretty mangled.”

“So, he’ll recover?”

“In time.  There are some concerns about a couple vertebrate in his back, but until he wakes up, we can’t know what sort of recovery that will need.  They’re saying at the least a brace that keeps him from twisting in any way.”

“How would that work?”

Dave shrugged, “Spencer would be better for that explanation.  What I could gather was it would hold him rigid from hip to neck.”

Emily frowned.

“How are you doing?”

“I’m okay.  The contractions stopped on their own once I was able to calm down.  No signs of stress to either baby.”

“Good. I know it’s hard being separated from everyone else.  How long are they keeping you?”

“If I’m good after twenty-four hours, I’m free.”

“Do you need anything?”

“No.” She shook her head.  “Just to know Hotch will get better.”

=====

Hotch felt like he was floating, just for a moment and then he was suddenly filled with excruciating pain.  He felt more than heard himself groan and then there were hands on him, people talking.  He tried to open his eyes to make them stop, but when he tried, the lights were too bright.  A moment later, the brightness stopped and the hands and voices were gone.  Well, not totally gone, there was still one soft voice.

“Aaron?”

Hotch took several steadying breathes and cracked his eyes open.  All he could see was ceiling.  Wherever he was, he was flat on his back.  And seemed to be restrained.  He tensed and started to fight.

“Aaron!  Stop!  You’re in the hospital, if you don’t stop, they’ll have to sedate you!”

It took a moment for the words to sink in and he froze.  He didn’t remember going to the hospital.  He remembered responding to a call.  The fog in his mind was lifting and he remembered he had been with Prentiss.  “Emily.”

“Emily is fine.  She’s been discharged already.”

“What happened?”  He tried to clear his throat.

A cup with a bendy straw appeared, “What do you remember?”

“A call came in.  A lead.  Emily was with me.”

The cup was moved away, “You were thrown from a third floor window.  Your wrist is broken as is your leg.  You’ve had surgery on it already.”  He paused, “and your back is broken.”

Hotch gasped at that, “What?”

“You’re going to recover, but it will take a long time.  You aren’t going back to work for months, Aaron.  You aren’t even going to go home for weeks maybe.”

“I’ll be okay?”  He whispered, tears in his voice.

“Yes.  And I’ll be right here with you.”

=====

It took two weeks for Hotch get cleared to travel home.  Most of the team had left as soon as Emily could fly, Spencer stayed back.

He would be limited to a wheelchair for the time being.  His leg would need as much reconstruction time as his back.  He wasn’t thrilled to be unable to work for the foreseeable future.

Jack was old enough to think the various pins and screws that made up the steel frame around his leg were cool and he’d been fairly impressed by the solid plastic support brace Aaron had to now wear for his back.

The week after he returned home, the team filled their house for a meal.  Aaron felt awkward in his wheelchair, having to look up at everyone around him.  He’d never realized the members of his team were so tall.  It was the first time Garcia was seeing him in person since his injury and she was instantly on the verge of tears.  Thankfully JJ had taken notice and escorted her friend into the next room.

Emily arrived and sank down into the chair that was next to Hotch, “Glad to be home?”

“Yes.  How are you?”  He took her in, he was sure she’d gotten bigger in the almost month since he’d seen her last.

“Good.  I’m carrying almost entirely out front, which is throwing off my balance, but other than that.”  She shrugged, “How are you doing with adjusting?”

“It’s hard to move around, I have to account for my leg to turn or move.  And this,” he held up his left hand, “Had taught me just how left hand dominant I really am.”

She chuckled, “You have an excuse to get out of all that paperwork now.”

He couldn’t help but smile, “True.”

Eventually everyone was seated around the table and digging in to their burgers.  Morgan leaned over, “In college I got hurt and was braced up and out for months.  Once your hand heals, there’s some things I could show you to help with the coping.  Also, feel free to make people sit,” He shook his head, “Nothin’ worse than staring at asses all day.”

Aaron smiled, “Thanks.”  After than he felt himself relax more and start to enjoy being home.

=====

Aaron had physical therapy every day.  In the afternoons Jack would come and cheer him on and then Jessica would drive them all home.  She was great about not trying to help him unless he asked. 

Jess appeared in the doorway to his temporary bedroom, “Aaron, do you want me to start dinner?”

“Uh,” He turned around, “We bought pork chops.  If you could get the pan out, I will work on them.  Jack can pick green beans or carrots.”

She nodded and left to find her nephew.

Hotch wheeled himself into his bathroom as his phone rang, “Hello?”

“Hey, Aaron, it’s Annie, how are you?”

“Better.  A mess, but better.”  He tucked the phone against his shoulder, “How are you doing?”

“Fine.  My next appointment is the end of the week.”  She sounded a little nervous.

“Do you still want us to come?”

“Yeah.  I just didn’t know if you could.”  She was relieved.  She had worried this injury would change their views of the baby.

“We’re planning on it.  We’re having pork chops tonight, would you like to come over?  My sister-in-law, Jessica, is here as well.”

“I don’t want to intrude.”

“You wouldn’t be.”

“Okay, is six thirty good?”

“Perfect.”  He hung up and worked on using the bathroom and cleaning himself up before heading to the kitchen to make dinner.

=====

Aaron looked up when Annie followed Jessica into the room, “Wow!  You’ve really popped!”

“Aaron!”  Jessica admonished.

Annie laughed, “It’s okay.  You’re right, it was like overnight I went from gee, maybe I’m pregnant to OMG, I’m a whale!”  She slid onto a chair.

“Well, you look great,” Jessica replied, setting a glass of water on the table for her.  “And I still can’t believe Aaron said that out loud.”

Annie took in all of Hotch’s gear, “Spencer said you fell, he didn’t say anything about all of this.”

“Oh.”

“What did you fall off of?”

“A third story window.”

Her jaw dropped.

“I’m okay.  Leg, wrist and back, but I’m okay.  I’m in physical therapy every day.”

She shook her head, “How long will healing take?”

“Eight weeks or so?  My wrist will probably be the first to clear so I’ve been told, but only if I follow doctor’s orders to the letter.”  He shifted in his seat, “We still don’t know if my leg will need more surgery.”

“And your back?”

Aaron shrugged, “Months.  Maybe longer.  Right now we are simply letting it heal.  The doctor figures I can’t get into too much trouble if I can’t walk.”

Annie nodded.  “And if it’s longer?  How will that affect bringing home a new baby?”

He furrowed his brow, “It won’t.  I don’t understand, none of this should affect the new baby.”

“I just wanted to be sure.”  She smiled, trying to cover her relief.


	10. Chapter 10

The day of their six month exams, both women waddled in while Spencer pushed Aaron and Jack followed, finally able to join an opportunity to see the babies. 

The doctor looked over both women and declared them healthy and fit.  He did warm Emily to start taking it easy, resting when possible.  That from this point forward the goal was to relax and make sure those babies cooked as long as possible, “Twins can come early, which is fine, but we still don’t want them to come yet.”

The all returned to the Hotchner house for lunch and to spend time together.

=====

Emily turned to Spencer, “Have you guys started thinking of names?”

“Not yet.  Have you?”

She nodded, “I am thinking the girl to be Adrienne Joy, Addy for short, and the boy to be Nathaniel Aaron, Nate for short.”

He teared up, “Really?”

“They will always carry a little bit of the men who gave them to me.”  She stroked her stomach lovingly.

He stood and gave her a hug, “Thank you.”

=====

As the ladies eased closer to their twenty-eight week check-ups, Spencer took Aaron for his own eight week follow-up with his surgeons.  X-rays showed his hand had healed wonderfully and a nurse set about removing the cast.  His leg looked to not need immediate surgery and the doctor arranged for the frame and screws to be removed and a change in physical therapy to include his newly gained freedom.

Two day later, Hotch was waking up from surgery and being encouraged to stand and carefully walk.  He frowned at his weakness.

“We’ll get you back in shape, Aaron.  Be patient.”

The doctor nodded, “Once you meet a few therapy requirements, I can allow you back to work on desk duty.  There will be no field work, no flying, no excitement of any kind, but if you will be sitting at a desk all day, you can work.”

“Requirements?”  Aaron asked.

“Spencer said there is a small staircase to get to your office?  So I will need to know you can safely navigate that on your own.  Managing small distances after sitting a while, that sort of thing.  I don’t need you falling and screwing up the healing that has happened so far to your back.  I advise you ask for help, even with the little things.”

Hotch nodded, “Okay.”

“Good.  I will get it scheduled.”

=====

His first day back was wonderful.  He slipped on his undershirt and then Spencer helped him into his brace again before buttoning up his work shirt and tie.  Once his jacket was on, you couldn’t even tell the brace was there.  He knew there was a slight limp, there was about a half inch difference now in the lengths of his legs, and he would have a cane for a while but he figured that would go away with time.

He slowly strode into the bullpen attempting to take nice even steps.  His team all lit up at the sight of him, but no one rushed forward just yet, for that he was grateful.  Once he was settled at his desk, JJ stopped by with an armload of paperwork and files, “Welcome back. These are all for you.  Sorry it’s so much, Rossi isn’t the best about paperwork.”

Aaron chuckled, “Never has been.”

She skirted the desk, “Can I give you a hug without hurting you?”

“Yes, gently.”  He returned her embrace and felt as she bumped the hard plastic shell.  “I feel like a turtle in this brace.”

She laughed, “I bet Jack loves that.”

“He wanted to paint it green.  I think Spencer would have let him if I hadn’t put my foot down.”  He glanced out into the bullpen, “How’s Emily doing?”

“Okay, tired a lot.  She’ll be up here later.  Once she gets up, she makes her rounds of everything before sitting back down.”  JJ waved and disappeared out the door.

Aaron gleefully dove into the stack of files.  Time with his son had been great, but being back at work, that gave him a purpose.

By mid-afternoon he’d had a parade of coworkers, including a significantly subdued Garcia, through his office welcoming him back.  Morgan appeared last to discuss the distribution of responsibilities between them.  He would be the agent in charge when the team was out and then once everyone was back, everything would go through Hotch. 

When Hotch finally stood to leave, he winced at the ache in his leg from sitting.  After a minute to be sure his leg would hold him, he made his way out the door and down the steps.

“Oh, Sir!  You’re still here!”  Garcia rushed over.

Hotch flinched, but she never made contact.

“I wanted to know about decorating the new nursery.  JJ and I are going over to help Emily soon and I was wondering if we could plan you guys something special as well?”

“I don’t know, I’ll have to talk to Spencer.”

“Could you?  We promise to not do anything you wouldn’t approve of.”  She smiled up at him.

“You already have something in mind, don’t you?”

She nodded vigorously.  “It’s right up your alley too.  I swear.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

“Thanks!”  She put her arms out, “Can I hug you?”

He let out a breath, “Sure.”  He was very surprised with how gentle she was.

Penelope pulled back and giggled, “Rock hard abs as always sir.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle.

=====

Spencer crawled into bed next to his husband, “How was work today?”

“Good, it was good to be back.”

“It was good to be able to look up and see you there.  It’s been a long few months without you in the office.”  He rolled on his side and snuggled closer.

“I missed it.  I love Jack to pieces, but I missed being part of everything.”  He pulled Spencer against him. 

“I know.”  He let his eyes slide shut as a hand ran down his stomach and squeezed his hip.  “Aaron,”  He moaned softly, “You’re not cleared for that kind of thing.”

Hotch nipped his ear, “I know, but you are.”

Spencer turned to look at him, “What is your plan here then?”

Aaron’s had slid round and palmed the younger man’s flaccid cock, “This.”  He began to stroke.

Spencer felt himself getting instantly hard.

“See, I can take care of you.  Just relax and let it happen.”

He relaxed as his partner ghosted kisses over his cheek and neck, reaching inside his boxers to pump and stroke his hardness.  All too soon he felt the tight build, “Aaron.”

Aaron increased the pace and moments later Spencer was coming over his hand.  Once Spencer’s breathing had returned to normal, he levered himself up and fetched a damp washcloth to clean them both off.  He lay on the bed and watched as his love got up and changed clothes. 

When Spencer returned, he had expected to find Aaron in a similar condition to the one he’d just been in.  Getting him off had always turned Hotch on, but the older man was laid out before him without any signs of arousal.  When he finally met his eyes, “The medicine?”

Hotch nodded, “It’s a side effect, yeah.  That’s okay, not sure I’m ready yet anyway.”

Spencer smiled and pressed kisses to his lips.  “I love you and I’m glad you’re going to eventually be okay.”

=====

Every day Aaron was getting stronger and more stable, the doctors were impressed with his progress.  He was happy to be able to walk, mostly unaided, into the next prenatal appointment. 

The doctor had some concerns about Emily’s stress levels and insisted she take it easy, keeping her feet up as much as possible.  He warned her that bedrest was a possibility if she didn’t take time for herself.

His concern’s for Annie extended to slightly elevated blood pressure.  The doctor said it was nothing to worry about just yet, but it needed to be watched.

Once Annie headed home, Emily invited the couple over to see what had been done in the nursery at her place.  She guided them in, showing off the gear and toys piled around the living room, “Come see what we came up with.”

Spencer and Aaron followed her down the hall and into a soft yellow nursery.  Two cribs took up the corners with a small changing table and dresser between them.  The room was a pastel quilt-work of patterns from the bedding to the décor and rug.

“Isn’t it perfect?  Penelope saw it online and insisted this is what I needed.”

Aaron swallowed hard, “It’s perfect.”  He wandered the room, trying not to remember a perfect gray room with soft rabbits.  “It was a good choice.”

“She told me you agreed to let her do your place?”

He nodded, “We thought about it.”

Spencer finally joined the conversation, “I think we will let her.”

=====

The next day their house was invaded by the entire team.  Rossi practically shoved Aaron out the door, insisting that neither of them really wanted to be involved in that craziness, while Morgan and Will took the boys and Spencer out for a while, leaving Jessica to oversee the rest of the ladies.

Annie came by with lunch and joined Emily on the couch.  The pair discussed aches and cravings and generally enjoyed being the ones giving the orders.  Emily had loved being able to go through her pregnancy with someone at the same time.  She rubbed her large belly, “I swear I can’t get any bigger.”

Annie grinned, “You are so cute pregnant though, you carry all out here and nowhere else.  I wish I was that lucky.  I don’t think I got this big before, but they say your muscles all relax and you look more pregnant sooner each time.”

=====

Shortly before dinner, Aaron and Spencer were returned home to see their new room.  The gray walls had been repainted white and navy blue.  The whole room had been dusted with stars and space ships and tiny astronauts.  Spencer picked up the blanket and studied the print, one side looked like the night sky and the other had the same small pictures as the walls. 

Aaron turned to the group gathered by the door, “Thank you.  You were right, I love it.”

Spencer stepped up, “I do too.”

Everyone silently prayed that this time there would be a baby to enjoy it.


	11. Chapter 11

Two days later, Morgan came into Hotch’s office holding a file, “We have to fly out.”

“Case?  Where?”

“Oklahoma.  We’ll need to leave right away, clock is ticking.”  Morgan sat in a chair, “Three kids have been abducted.”

“Together?”

“Maybe a block apart, within minutes of each other.  Snatch-ups.  I’m going to save time and brief on the plane.”

“Okay.”  Hotch nodded and watched him leave.

Sitting in the jet, the team minus Hotch and Emily looked over the little information they had.

“It had to be at least partners.  Someone to drive and someone to snatch.”  Reid offered.  “And these three kids seem totally random, they were all simply closest to the curb.”

JJ laid out the pictures of the three missing kids across the table, “So did the UNSUBs just want three kids or…?”

“Or?”  Rossi asked.

She frowned at the pictures, “What if one kid was the target and the other two are just a counter measure?”

“Huh.”  Morgan tapped the laptop to talk to Garcia.  “Garcia, can you look up any issues surrounding any of the three kids and their families?”

The blonde filled the screen, “I’m already working on it.”

Spencer spoke again, “So are we pursuing JJ’s theory or are we going the other way?”

Morgan shook his head, “You and JJ follow her theory, Rossi and I will take the angle of three basic random abductions.”  He glanced around the jet where Emily and Hotch both would normally sit, “Any further theories we’ll share amongst us.”

By the time they landed, Garcia had produced small novels worth of documents on each of the three families and Reid settled in to enjoy the paper trail.  JJ couldn’t help but chuckle at his enthusiasm for the task.  “So, disgruntled family members?  Neighbors?  Friends?”

Reid nodded, “Start with family members then move out.  Also, go through their finances and see if anything looks strange there.”

She collected the files on the second child and sat at the opposite end of the table.  She never enjoyed paperwork, but at least she was good at it. 

Morgan and Rossi were standing in the middle of the second abduction site.  The first one had simply been the point where the young boy always crossed the street to get home from the park.  It seemed everyone along his route knew he walked it every day.

This second site, while along the road, was a bit more telling.  The girl who’s been taken had only started dance at this particular studio three weeks prior and was standing and waiting for a ride home.  There was a greater risk the parents would arrive, but if it was totally random, she could have simply been there at the wrong moment.

The third site was similar to the first, a girl who always played in the front yard.  Consistent behavior so it could be premeditated or random.

The next time JJ’s laptop lit up. It wasn’t just Garcia at the other end, Emily and Hotch had joined her in her lair.  “What’cha got guys?”

Garcia took a deep breath, “Boy Genius might be onto something.  Caly Robin, the second abductee, her family up until a year ago were paying money on a monthly basis into an account.  That account then had regular withdrawals on pretty much the same dates every month.”

“How much, Garcia?”  Reid asked.

“Two grand.  Then on the second, half was taken out every month and then eighty dollars every Friday.  Then the rest taken out in the exact same amounts every month.”

Hotch finally spoke up, “Apartment, groceries, utilities.  They were supporting someone.”

Spencer started rifling through the paperwork of associates, “And this stopped when?”

“A year ago today.”  Emily supplied.

More paper rifling before, “I don’t see anything.”  He looked up, “Something’s missing.”

Rossi pulled out his phone and answered, listening to his teammate before snapping the phone shut, “Reid might have something.  The Robin’s family was supporting someone up until a year ago but he hasn’t figured out yet who it is.”

Morgan turned to head to the truck, “Let’s go find out, shall we?”

Theo and Diane Robin were a mousy looking couple.  The kind you wouldn’t notice if you passed on the street.  Diane was clinging tightly to a tissue and a photo of Caly while Theo just looked defeated.

Spencer entered the small room and sat across from them, smoothing the front of his vest and his tie and he sat down, “Mister and Missus Robin, I have some questions for you.  Is that alright?”

The pair nodded.

“Until a year ago, you were depositing funds into a bank account every month and then money was being taken out for what appeared to be living expenses.”

Diane paled, “What does that have to do with anything?”

Spencer leaned in, “Who were you supporting?”

Theo frowned, “I have a son from a previous relationship.  I was very young.  He never lived with us, but when he became an adult, I was left to take care of him.”

“How old is he?”

Diane fidgeted, “Ben was already eighteen when Caly was born.  We didn’t want him in the house.”

“Why not?”

“We had some suspicions, about drugs.  And the apartment was nice and he was independent.”

Spencer chewed his lip, “What changed a year ago?”

The couple across from him exchanged a look, but remained silent.

“Did Caly know Ben?”

“No.  We never introduced them.”

Outside the room, Rossi was pulling out his phone again to call Garcia, “Hey, we need everything you have on a man named Ben Robin.  Apparently Caly has a half brother that they cut off a year ago, they won’t say why.”  He listened to the discussion and searching happening back at Quantico.

A moment later Hotch told Rossi what they found and added, “I’ll text Reid this.”

“No problem.”

Reid hesitated his line of questioning when his phone beeped.  He pulled it out and read the screen then tucked it back away.  He folded his hands and stared at the couple.

Theo broke first, “Who was that?  Did they find Caly?”

“Not yet.  That was the answer to a couple questions.”  He stared straight at the older man, “That was my husband giving me some details you wouldn’t.”

=====

It hadn’t taken long for the couple to reveal where Ben and his boyfriend were staying in a loft across town.  Reid and Rossi were the first ones up the stairs to try and get the missing kids out.  Ben and his boyfriend, Trent had figured out they were coming and didn’t intend to go down without a fight.  When Dave and Spencer burst in, the duo had all three kids standing as human shields. 

“You don’t want to do this!”  Rossi demanded, “You know how this ends!”

“I was never good enough to be part of their precious family!”  Ben yelled, “I was denied everything!”

“What they did wasn’t fair,” Reid spoke, “But is this any better for Caly than what they did to you?”

“Let the kids go.”  Rossi followed up.  “We can talk, but let them go.  They’re innocent.”

“So was I!”

“We know.  And I get it, I really do.  It’s hard when you’re different and people judge you for it.”  Spencer tried again.  “But this won’t help you get what you want.”

“How could you possibly know what it’s like?  My own father didn’t want anything to do with me.  He’s ashamed of me.”  Ben eased up on his grip of Caly as he spoke.  “Fine, those two can go, but I’m keeping my sister.” 

Trent shoved the other two kids forward into the agents before ducking behind a piece of furniture for cover.

Reid put his gun away and help up his hands, “Let’s just talk, okay?  Caly can stay, but let’s just relax and talk a bit.”  He glanced over his shoulder, “Rossi, can you tell the others to stand down?”

Rossi muttered the message into his mic, never taking his eyes off of Ben.

Reid moved forward and stood before Ben,” Tell me about growing up.  Your dad said he was young when you were born.”

Ben sniffled, “My mom’s parents raised me for a long time.  She was barely out of high school when she had me.  They wanted her to have a life so they looked after me.”

“And your dad?”

“I never saw him.  Mom said once her parents didn’t want him around.  He didn’t even try!”

“Okay.  He said he had to take care of you later.”

“Mom was in a wreck so dad was supposed to take care of me.  He put me in that apartment all alone!  I still never got to see any of them but Caly got to have two parents, she got to have him.”

Reid nodded, “Why did he cut you off?”

“I told him about Trent.”

“You’re an adult now Ben, you could just walk away.  You don’t need him.”

“But I want him!”  Ben turned red and waved his gun.  “All I ever wanted was for him to love me!”

Reid put out his hands, trying to calm the distraught man, “Hey, let him go.  A father that doesn’t want you isn’t worth pursuing.”

“How would you know?”

Spencer hesitated, “Mine didn’t want me either.”

Ben tried to process that.  He released Caly just enough that she was able to bolt for the other agent in the room.  “Really?”

Reid nodded, “I was ten, apparently that was old enough to care for myself.  He simply didn’t want me.”

“Would he hate you if you were gay?”

He started slowly moving forward toward the man, “I haven’t told him, but I don’t really care what he thinks.”  Before the man could find a response, Spencer grabbed the wrist holding the gun and spun him, pinning him to the floor, disarmed.

While Reid was crouched on the ground, three shots rang out over his head, two together and then one.  He drew his gun and reacted just in time to see Trent fall backward behind the barricade he’d made.  Over his shoulder he saw Rossi doing his best to stay standing, “Are you hit?”  He rushed to his friend.

“Just the vest.”  Rossi gasped.  “Damn, that always hurts.”

JJ and Morgan chose that moment to burst through the door, weapons at the ready.  “What happened?”

Rossi was still trying to catch his breath, so Reid filled them in, “I got Ben cuffed, but Trent there decided to take his own shot.  I haven’t checked, but I’m thinking that didn’t end how he’d hoped.”

Morgan peered over the stuff in the way, “Well, you need to go outside and make a phone call immediately if not five minutes ago.”

Reid furrowed his brow, “Why?”

JJ shook her head, “We were on the link with Garcia and the others when we heard the shots.”

Reid nodded and left the scene to his teammates.  Once outside he stepped to the far side of the SUV he pulled out his phone.

“Spencer?”  Aaron asked the second the call connected.

“I’m okay.  I swear, I’m fine Aaron.”

“There were shots, the others took off and I didn’t know what was happening.  I hate this.”

“Rossi got shot.”

“What!?”  Hotch’s voice rose nearly two octaves.

“In the vest!  He’s pride’s plenty bruised and probably his chest, but he’ll live.  He was okay enough to be whining about it in there.”

There was a sound over the phone as Hotch moved around in his office, “The second you are done with the scene and free, call me.  I need to talk to Dave and check on him.”

Reid looked around and spotted the older man stepping out of the building, “Well, he just came outside, you can call him.  He’ll be held up with the paramedics for a bit.”

“Okay, thanks.”  Hotch sighed, Spencer?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Aaron.  You and Jack and the baby.  Forever and ever I love you.”


	12. Chapter 12

The following week there was a local case.  Garcia popped into Hotch’s office where Morgan was discussing a file, “We have a local one guys.”

Morgan took the file and read it over, “A car wreck?”

She leaned in and flipped a page, “Not the wreck, really, though that’s bad enough as it is.  This.”  She pointed to a line.

Morgan’s eyebrows shot up, “In the trunk?  That’s some serious firepower.”  He passed the file to Hotch.

Looking over the pages, “How’d this get caught?”

Garcia frowned, not happy having to verbalize what happened, “A mom walking out of a grocery store with a shopping cart and some kids and the guy ran the stop sign and hit them.”

“Everyone okay?”

“Mom didn’t get hit and managed to pull the oldest, a ten year old boy, out of the way. There was a one year old in the seat of the cart who was rushed to the hospital with injuries from the cart tipping and slamming to the ground.  Last I heard she was touch and go, mostly due to a head injury.  Another boy, about four was walking by the cart sustained the largest part of the collision is on life support and isn’t expected to make it. 

Hotch frowned at the thought of a family ripped apart.  “The driver?”

“One David Lake, a local born and raised.  Bystanders restrained him until authorities arrived and when the cops searched his vehicle they found he explosives.  I was told it’s enough to level a large building.”

“It’s enough to level a city block,” Morgan corrected.

She pointed her thumb toward him, “In any case, he’s not talking.  They think he’s not working alone and there’s been no hint so far as to target.  They are requesting our help A-sap.”

Hotch nodded and passed the file back to Morgan, “I’ll do what I can to help.”

Morgan stood to leave, “Technically it’s a local case, Hotch.  Why don’t you drive into DC and help us from there?  Nothing saying you can’t sit in an observation room and watch an interrogation.”

After a beat, Hotch nodded in agreement.

=====

David Lake ended up being a wannabe bomber with half-cooked plans to blow up the airport.  His partner quickly rolled on him, pinning as much on Lake as he could in exchange for a deal.

Several weeks later at the next prenatal appointment, the doctor told Emily she should cut back working for the remainder of her pregnancy.  The babies looked fine, but the longer she kept it up, the more she increased her risk of delivering early.  After some grumbling, she agreed.

Rossi appeared on their doorstep just as Hotch and Reid got home and Spencer made himself scarce, telling Jack he had an experiment they could try out.  He watched his friend carefully settled onto the couch.  “How’s it going?”

Hotch raised an eyebrow, “Fine.  Emily was told to pretty much stop working for the remainder.  I think she’ll come in a few hours a week just to keep abreast of cases.”

“Oh, I bet she was thrilled about that.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled.  “I think she was expecting to work till the end.”

Dave nodded, “Like JJ did.”

“I think so.  But JJ still delivered early and if we’d have all stayed with Spencer, she would have delivered in Vegas.”

“That’s true.”

“Why’d you stop by?”

“To talk.  I wanted to see how _you_ are holding up with all this.  I wanted to make sure you remember that if you start to freak out, call me.”  He studied his friend hard.

“I know, Dave.”  He sighed.  “I do worry it will be Ryan all over again.”

“That’s understandable.  Normal.  Just don’t let the worry eat you up.”  He chewed the corner of his lip a moment, “How is Reid doing?”

“I haven’t seen an ounce of worry from him.  He’s always able to be more optimistic than me.”

“And Jack?”

“Excited to get a brother.  He hasn’t asked any questions, to me anyway.”

=====

Emily did her best to make the most of being limited in time at Quantico.  She and Penelope got to have more girl time and they regularly spent evenings together.  She would head to Garcia’s office as soon as she got in and would spend most of her working time in there with her feet up.  Garcia was taking her friend’s need to stay relaxed very seriously.

The weeks wore on and her body felt more and more stretched.  The anticipation to have her babies was blended with the anticipation of simply being able to pee like a normal person again.

One afternoon when Emily was into her final weeks of pregnancy, Hotch knocked at the office door and stepped in.  “I have lunch set up in the conference room if you would like to join us?”  He motioned back to the rest of the team when was in office today.

“Sure!”  Garcia spun around and closed out her system.  “Food sounds good.”  She watched as their boss limped over and helped her friend up from the couch, pausing to run his hands down the sides of her belly before stepping back.  She followed them to the conference room.

The table was full of all sorts of take out and the rest of the team was already digging in.  Emily loaded up a plate and devoured half before picking at the rest.

“Not hungry?”  Morgan asked.

She sighed, “I’m hungry, it just doesn’t fit.”

JJ chuckled, “I remember those days.  Close to the end all you want to do is eat and after like a bite you’re full.”

“It sucks.”  Emily frowned at her plate and rubbed her stomach.

“Well, not much longer now, they you can eat all you want again,” JJ patted her friend’s shoulder.

Hotch’s phone rang and everyone groaned and started eating their meal extra fast.  Trust a case to ruin a good meal.  Hotch waved his hand for everyone to stop and hung up his phone, “No case, Annie’s in labor.”

There was a moment of silence before Emily declared, “That’s so not fair,” and everyone stood to hurry out of the room.

Once at the hospital, Aaron and Spencer rushed to Annie’s room where the doctor was already looking over her.  “It’s a bit early,” the doctor started, “but the monitor looks good.  We’re far enough along that I’m not going to try to stop it.  We do need to watch the heart rate, it is fluctuating a tiny bit, but it’s staying in the safe range so that’s good.  If it drops, we may need to discuss a c-section.”

Everyone nodded and watched the doctor step out.  Both men took Annie’s hands.

“Are you guys ready?  You’re getting your little boy today.”

“We’re ready.”  Aaron beamed.  “We’re so ready.  Just tell us what you need.”

The hours wore on and Annie was progressing slowly.  The nurses assured them that the baby was doing fine and unless there were signs of distress, everything was going to simply run its course.  Finally late into the night Annie told the guys to get the doctor, she needed to push.

Spencer stepped out to fetch the doctor and alert the team and Jack and Jess it was time while Annie tugged on Aaron’s hand.  He watched her ask, “Would you like to catch your son again?”

Aaron teared up slightly, “Is that okay?”

She nodded, “Yeah.  It’s fine.”

Spencer helped Annie pant through contractions to slow labor down while the doctor helped Aaron arrange himself into a position he could manage with his brace.  Finally the doctor told her to go ahead and push and she let her body take over. 

Aaron followed the instructions given to him as his son slowly made his way into the world.  A nurse leaned in to clear the airway and wrap the baby boy in a blanket as his just started down at the tiny pink baby who was staring back at him.  He couldn’t believe he was holding their baby boy in his arms.

Spencer left Annie’s side and leaned in, “Smaller than I expected.”  He smiled.  Spencer tried not to let the emotion bleed into his voice as he whispered to his husband and to their new son.

Aaron was in awe, “He’s perfect.”  He didn’t even want to blink in case this was all a dream.

The doctor helped Spencer and Aaron cut the cord and clean everyone up before stepping out of the way to allow the family to bond.  The couple hadn’t settled on a name yet, wanting to wait to see him first.  After several minutes, Spencer stepped out to the small waiting room to announce to Jack and the team that their son had arrived safely into the world.

When he stepped into the waiting room with a giant grin on his face, the group was instantly on him, hugs and kisses abounded while everyone tried to talk at once.  Eventually Spencer put up his hands, “He’s here and healthy, we haven’t settled on a name yet, but you will all get to see him shortly.”  He rattled off the newborn’s stats to them.  When pressed, he produced his phone and brandished a photo of his son.

Everyone passed his phone around cooed over the sight of the tiny babe.

“I need to get back in there, I’ll let you all know shortly when you can come in.”  Spencer received a few more congratulatory hugs as he slipped out to return to his family.

Hotch was settled into a recliner waiting on Spencer to return, with the baby in his lap when Annie made a sound of discomfort.  The nurse crossed the room and asked her if she was okay.  Annie assured her it was the normal after birth contractions as her body returned to normal.  This was her third pregnancy, she knew the routine.  The nurse nodded and returned to her charting. 

Aaron blocked out Annie in the bed as he studied the baby when looked so much like Jack.  “I think you look like an Andrew.”

“You think so?”  Spencer returned and knelt beside them.  “I think he looks like an Andrew too.”  When Annie made a strange sound, Spencer looked up at her, “Are you okay?”

“Fine.”

He stood and walked to her side, “You don’t look fine.  What’s wrong?”

“I don’t remember this after stuff hurting like this before.”  She rolled to her side.  “They say each one is different though.”

Spencer frowned, “You’ve been laying down a long time, maybe you need a change of position?”

“I haven’t been cleared to walk on my own yet.  I think they’re coming back to do that in a minute.”

“They do realize women have been having babies and going about their day for millennia, don’t they?  Fine, you won’t be on your own, I’ll stand here.”  He offered her a hand, “Just sit on the edge of the bed.  See if the change in position helps.”

She nodded and allowed him to pull her upright, feet dangling over the side.  “That helps.”

He smiled and glanced over at Hotch and back again, “Thank you for this gift.  You didn’t have to do this.”

“You’re welcome.  He’s lucky to have two such devoted parents.”  She inhaled sharply, “He just might be my last if this is going to hurt worse after each one.”

Spencer glanced out to the hall where the nurses were working, “It hurts?  Should it hurt?”

“Well, yeah.”  She chuckled, “I did just give birth.  Pain is part of the process.”  Her chuckle quickly turned to a frown as she glanced down, “Oh my god, this is embarrassing.  Can you grab a nurse?”

Spencer glanced down before hurrying over to get a nurse. 

All Aaron could see was Annie’s back, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.  Just…yeah.”  She blushed slightly.

Nurses bustled in to check on Annie while Spencer started to return to the chair in the corner.  He was almost knelt down when suddenly Annie cried out and the nurse shouted for the other to hurry.

Aaron didn’t catch what was being said, but turned when Spencer paled, “What?”  He clutched their baby closer to him instinctively.

“She’s crowning.” Spencer stood and started toward the bed.

“What?”  Aaron’s voice went up in surprise and confusion.

Spencer rushed forward, talking to Hotch over his shoulder, “That would explain why Andrew looks a little smaller than I thought he would be.

Aaron stared down at the baby, “What?”

Spencer shook his head and took her hand as Annie quickly, and loudly, pushed a second, tiny, baby out onto the sheets before the doctor was able to return.  The nurses were a flurry of activity, cleaning and checking.  Spencer instinctively scooped the baby into her arms, not caring about the mess getting on his clothes.  Unable to move any further, he turned and stared wide-eyed at Aaron, somehow still unsure of what just happened.

=====

The team had been waiting for word on when they could meet the new baby when suddenly there were shouts and a scrambling of staff in the hall, all headed for Annie’s room.

Rossi muttered to himself, “No no no no no.  Not them, not again.”

Morgan felt his chest constrict, that happiness on Reid’s face had been so pure, so complete.  He prayed whatever was happening down the hall wasn’t life altering.  He wasn’t sure the pair could take that again.

JJ and Garcia clung to one another and then pulled Jack in as well.  No one was sure what to expect to happen next.  JJ was certain the loss of another child would destroy them all.

Emily had tears in her eyes as she held her unborn babies with her arms wrapped around her belly.  She swore to forever curse any god who would bring something bad upon Hotch and Reid but then allow her to have these two babies be fine.

Eventually, Spencer returned to the waiting room.

=====

Aaron was still staring from the baby in his arms to the one being checked by the nurses.  He sat down hard into the chair behind him, not even aware he had stood up at some point during the second unexpected delivery.

After a minute with a nurse, a now-clean baby was in Spencer’s arms and he joined his husband across the room.  “Aaron?”

The older man looked up, a state of shock still on his face.

Spencer placed the smaller bundle in Aaron’s arms as well, “We have another boy, he’s a little smaller, but he’s healthy.”

=====

Spencer took a look at the somber group, “Annie was still experiencing some discomfort and when the nurse came to check her over,” he saw several teammates grab each other, “She was crowning again.”

The room went totally silent.

He smiled slightly, “We just had another baby boy.”

There was a slight pause and the room erupted in joy and congratulations.  Someone asked how it was possible.

“Well, Andrew was always laying on his side at the front and we couldn’t see past him.  After a while we weren’t even looking and there’s a bit of a size difference, Andrew is nearly two pounds heavier.”

“Can we see them?”

Spencer nodded, “We’ve now been cleared up to have you guys come in.”

Rossi gave him a hug, “Let’s go see your boys.”

=====

Aaron looked up from his place in the chair as the team filed in.  Everyone cooed and awed over the tiny bundles.  Jack leaned in and asked which was Andrew and then what the other baby’s name was.

“We don’t know, do you have some suggestions?”  He asked his son.

The boy thought hard, “I think he should be Kegan.”

Aaron looked to Spencer, who thought for a minute, “Kegan it is.  Andrew David and Kegan James.”

Hotch nodded in agreement.  “Our perfect family.”  He glanced up at their audience, “They’re both healthy.  Our little miracles.”

======

As the team passed the babies around, Spencer took the opportunity of free arms and pulled Aaron into a hug, “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.  I can’t believe this happened.”

“Me neither.  But now we have our three boys and our home will be full and noisy forever.”

Hotch stilled.

“What?”  Spencer pulled back, trying to work out the cause of the sudden look of panic on Aaron’s face.

“The house.  Everything is ready for one baby.  Spencer, we need at least another car seat.”  He swallowed hard, “Probably another crib, a different stroller.”

Garcia overheard the conversation and jumped up, “I’ll take care of it!”

“Take care of what?”  JJ looked up from the newborn in her arms.

“They need more stuff!”  She answered, “Another car seat, another crib, more diapers because now there are two and one is oh so little and tiny sleepers!”

JJ laughed at her friend and passed baby Andrew to his father, “Let’s go shopping then.”

Rossi, who had remained baby free, stood as well, “I’ll come.  You’ll need me.”

“We will?”

When he patted his wallet in his pocket, both women giggled and dragged him along.

Aaron watched Spencer and Morgan rocking the babies before looking to Emily, “You’re next.”

She rubbed her belly, “I thought I would be first.”

He smiled, “I did too.  May I?”  He put his hand out.

She nodded, “They’re busy in there today.  I think they knew it was an exciting day.  Their future playmate was being born.”

“Playmates now.”  He looked over at the infants.

“I was wondering, I know it’s not really my place to ask, but would one of you like to be there for delivery?”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded.

“Maybe Spencer would like to.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I do.  But you and he are good friends.  He would enjoy the specialness of being asked, just him.”


	13. Chapter 13

Two days later, Spencer, Aaron and Jack were working on their routine with two newborn babies who were up around the clock.  The pair were taking a month off together before alternating leave time again, giving the new babies five months total of staying home with their parents. 

Spencer was washing and drying bottles when Aaron entered the kitchen, “Babies?”

Hotch leaned against the counter, “Clean, dry and asleep.  We should have two hours before starting over.”

“So now what do we do?”

Hotch reached over and turned off the water, “We go upstairs to our bed.”

“And?”  Spencer smirked and waggled his eyebrows.

He pulled his partner close and kissed him, “Sleep.  We sleep.  Jack will be home from school later, so for now we sleep.”

Spencer chuckled, “Sounds good.” He led the way to their bedroom.

Aaron set the baby monitor on the dresser and crawled as best he could up the bed, laying on his back.  He watched as Spencer shed his clothes down to his boxers and crawled up beside him.  “I can’t wait to be rid of this thing,” Hotch tapped the brace on his chest.

“You will wear it until the doctor says otherwise and not a moment before.”  Spencer mock scolded.  He tossed a leg over and sat on Aaron’s thighs, low enough to not cause strain to his spine.  “It’s your super hero shield.  It protects you from evildoers.”

“You’re still not painting it.”

He snickered and tugged on Hotch’s sweats.

“What are you doing?  We were going to sleep.”

“You’re welcome to sleep if you want.  I want _you_.”  He wrangled the fabric down his thighs.  “There you are.”

“I was here when I was fully dressed too.”  Aaron smirked at him.  “I really have no energy for anything.  I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need energy.  Just lay back and let me take care of everything.”  He smiled softly as his husband relaxed beneath him.  Spencer leaned forward and eased Aaron’s knees up and apart, letting them drop gently to the bed.  He couldn’t resist staring at the sight spread out before him.  One hand took Aaron’s heavy balls and massaged them, causing the cock above to start to come alive.  He brushed a finger along his perineum, eliciting a small moan. 

Spencer tried to quietly open the bottle of lube and drip some along his fingers and then along the crease between Aaron’s ass cheeks and things.  He smiled at the shiver it caused. 

A finger again pressing the soft skin behind his balls, just enough pressure to feel good, before he let it slip down and past the ring of muscles.  Aaron arched up before him, swearing and repeating his name like a sort of chanting prayer.  Spencer pulled back and let his damp finger ghost up the underside of the straining cock before him.  Finally unable to take the confinement, Spencer shimmied off his boxers, allowing his own leaking erection to bounce and strain against his legs.

Hotch rolled his head to one side and just stared.  The younger man was just taking him in, the feeling of being observed making his dick twitch.  He didn’t dare move, unsure of what the plan was.

Finally Spencer scooted forward, “I don’t want to hurt you.  You have to promise me, so much as a twinge and you say something.”

“I promise.”  He couldn’t’ help but push back when two fingers breached him.  When a third joined them, he keened and panted.  As fast as the fingers had started, they vanished and he could feel the head of his lover’s cock bumping against his opening.  “Please, Spence.”

Spencer did his best to support himself over Aaron, lining up and easing in.  Once he was in, he stilled, waiting for his partner to adjust to the invasion.

“Move.”  Aaron was already panting heavily.  “I can’t hold back much longer.”

He couldn’t help but smirk and started a hurried pace.  Moments later, the cock between them was shooting think strands along their stomachs and along the brace Aaron wore.  The sight of his lover, head thrown back, gasping from pleasure, drove him instantly to the edge.  When strong hands grabbed his hips and pulled him down tight, he came suddenly and with a shout.

Aaron waited until Spencer seemed to recover, “It’s everywhere.”

Reid’s head popped up, “What?”

“When I came, it’s even under the edge of this thing.”  He winced when the younger man pulled out, leaving his muscles trembling slightly from the sudden loss.  The movements causing a chain reaction that ended with Spencer’s spunk dribbling along his cheeks and onto the sheets. 

Spencer gave him an appraising look.  “It’s so hot seeing you spread out like this.  Covered in our fluids.”

“Really?”  One eyebrow went up.

“You look at a belly heavy with child and think, there is the proof of my virility.”  He chuckled at the face his partner made.  “I see you looking like this, all spread out and taken.  In this moment, there is no question who you belong to, it makes me want to take you again and again.”

The other eyebrow joined the first along his hair line.

“Don’t believe me?”  Spencer stood by the bed and took in his lover.  His right hand cupped his flaccid member and stroked, making it spring to life.  “I look at you.  I think about you.  The way you move.  The way you talk.”  He blushed, “The way you whisper to me.  And in those moments I’m thinking of you laying just as you are now.  Totally fucked and looking open.”  He panted and shut his eyes, head tipping back.  His left hand lay dangling at his side while his right kept up its slow movements.  “This is _my_ power moment.  I can’t think about it in public or I would come in my pants.  Right there in the bullpen or in the conference room.”  He looked down, “Or on the jet.”

Aaron was speechless.  He’s never seen Reid like this before.

“It’s just so hot.”  Spencer almost-whined.  Suddenly he tipped forward, his left hand catching him on the mattress, just missing Aaron’s shoulder, as he let out a strangled sort of sob.

Aaron watched his partner’s come shoot from between his long slender fingers and soak the sheet.  It was a heady feeling to know he made someone react like that.  He stayed quite as Spencer gathered himself and finally stood, moving to fetch damp cloths and towels.


	14. Chapter 14

Several weeks later in the wee hours of the morning, Aaron and Spencer had just drifted back to sleep after having been up feeding Andrew and Kegan.  When a cellphone rang, both men groped blindly in the dark trying to work out who’s was going off, when Spencer’s was the one lit up, he groaned.  He could hear Aaron chuckling from beneath the covers beside him and swatted his way, “Hello?”

“Spencer?  It’s Emily.”

He rubbed his face to try and become more alert, “Yeah?”

“I’m in labor, I’m on the way to the hospital.”

It took him a minute to register her words.  When he did, he flung back the covers and rushed to dress, “Okay, I’m on my way.”  He slipped the phone in his pocket, “Emily’s in labor.  I’m headed to the hospital.  I’m not sure how long I’ll be.”  He stopped a minute, “Aaron?”

The blankets shifted, “Emily, babies, going.”

Spencer leaned in and kissed where he figured Aaron’s face was. “You have an appointment later today.  Don’t forget.”

“Won’t.”

With a chuckle, Spencer left.

=====

Emily was frowning at the various pieces of equipment she was hooked up to when Reid arrived, “Somehow I didn’t expect to feel like a science experiment.”

He dropped his bag in a chair, “More monitors for more babies.  How do you feel?”

“Good until the contractions.  The doctor said Addy is breech and Nate is sideways tucked across her.  If they don’t move, then they have to come by C-section.  Someone is supposed to be headed down to help see if we can shift them.  We have until someone shows signs of distress or I need to push.”  She hissed as a contraction rippled through her.

Spencer settled into a routine of fetching water and helping Emily find comfortable positions.  When the nurse arrived to show Emily some positions, Spencer found himself roped into helping her sway and kneel in a variety of positions.  He blushed when he realized she was totally naked beneath her thin hospital gown.

=====

Several very short hours later, Hotch found himself waking to the sounds of Andrew and Keegan demanding breakfast and Jack kneeling on the bed, bouncing slightly, telling him the babies were awake.  He groaned as he rolled and sat up, trying to prioritize his tasks.  First thing first, he crossed the hall to make sure there was nothing more pressing for the babies than their current hunger before returning to use the bathroom and brush his teeth.  Jack stayed in the nursery dancing and singing to his brothers.  Returning, Aaron scooped up his youngest two sons and led the way to the kitchen to make bottles and bowls of cereal.

“Where’s Spencer?”

Aaron turned to his oldest, “He went to the hospital with Emily, she’s having her babies today.”

“Oh.  Are we going there too?”

“Not yet.  Maybe later.  I have a check-up in a little while.”

Jack looked around the small space, “We’re all going?”

Aaron stared at his three sons, “Yeah,” he answered softly, unsure, “We’re all going.”

=====

Emily was rocking on a birthing ball, “I don’t think this is going to work.”  She leaned into Spencer, “I think we should move to option B before anything can go wrong.”

“Are you sure?”

“I sort of expected that was going to be my delivery method anyway, so I’m not having any dreams shattered.” She groaned again and worked on breathing.

Spencer reached over, pressing the call button.  When a nurse arrived, they explained Emily’s decision.

=====

Aaron loaded the diaper bag with extra diapers, extra outfits and two bottles a piece.  He looked around for pacifiers and blankets and anything else they might need.  He wrangled the infants into their carseats and asked Jack to keep an eye on them as he loaded the car and double checked the stroller was in the back.  Finally, he carried the infants, with Jack close behind, to the vehicle and loaded up.  Once in the front seat, he took a moment to process that this was his live from now on.  This was the first time he’d had to go anywhere without Spencer, but Spencer was due to return to work soon. 

=====

Spencer followed the instructions to gown up for surgery.  Emily was already in the next room being prepped.  He was more nervous than he thought he would be.  It wasn’t that long ago when it was his own babies coming into the world, by now he would have thought he was old hat at this feeling of anticipation.

Emily glanced around the room and smiled when Spencer walked in, “I can’t wait to see them, I wonder that they look like.”

“Andrew and Kegan both look like Aaron.  You can definitely tell they are Jack’s brothers.  He has strong genes so don’t be surprised if at least Nate has his scowl.”  He settled on the stool by her head, “I think Addy will look like you though.  Girls should look like their mothers.”

Emily smiled at that thought.

====

Pushing the double stroller loaded with infant carriers, diaper bag, and assorted gear Hotch made his way into the doctor’s office, turning to make sure Jack was at his side.  He smiled at the nurse at the check in window, “Hotchner, Aaron, I have an appointment.”

The nurse who he hadn’t seen before nodded, “Are they all yours?”

He edged the stroller around so she could see in the seats, “Almost a month old.”  He pulled Jack to his hip, “And my oldest, Jack.  He’s the world’s best big brother already.”

Jack smiled at the praise.

=====

Addy arrived first, screaming in indignation at being taken from her warm home and pulled into the bright, noise world.  She had little more than a light dusting of hair but plenty of rolls.  A minute later, her brother Nate joined her to be measured and weighted, his own head full of straight black hair.

Spencer leaned over Emily, “They’re perfect, Em.”

When the nurse brought the bundled pair over, Emily chuckled, “Poor baby girl, no hair for bows!  That’s okay, we’ll get you headbands.”  She cooed at the babies as Spencer took them so she could reach, “My precious babies.”

The doctor stepped over, “We’ll get you put back together and set on in a recovery room.  Everything looks great.”

=====

After the appointment, Jack asked to go out to lunch and Hotch couldn’t see any reason to tell him no.  So he once again unloaded everyone to go into a small restaurant where his little family drew tares and smiles.

Partway through their meal a text came through from Spencer, “Look,” he said to Jack, “Emily had her babies.”  He turned the screen around.

Jack looked from the screen to his brothers, “They look like our babies!”

Aaron nodded, “They do, don’t they?  Maybe we can go say hi after we leave?”

“That sounds fun.”  They boy returned to his chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese.

=====

Spencer tried to avert his eyes when Emily worked to breastfeed the babies, but she had asked for his help in situating them.  He blushed but pressed forward with his task.

A knock on the doorframe had Emily looking up.  She smiled at the sight of Hotch pushing the stroller, “They’re here!”

Aaron looked around, “I would have thought the whole team would have made it by now.”

“I told them to wait until I said I was ready for visitors.  I wanted you to get here first.  The team will be here in a few.”  She gestured for him to come closer, “They want to meet the guy who made them possible.”

Aaron left the stroller and leaned in, “They’re amazing Emily.  You did good.”

Emily pointed to a recliner in the corner, “Go sit.  There’s a picture I want to have.”

He frowned but did as he was told.

“Jack, can you fit really close in there by your dad’s side?”

Jack nodded and joined his dad in the chair.

“Spence, grab your babies and put them on Jack’s lap.”  Emily directed.

Spencer did as he was told, securing Aaron’s arm around the three boys so no one would slip.

“Now come get Addy and Nate.”

Spencer hesitated and then collected the newborns.  He settled them in Hotch’s lap so there was a row of four babies, two smaller than the others.

Emily beamed, “Now we need pictures!”

“Pictures of what?”  A voice asked from the doorway as the team piled in.  Everyone paused at the sight of Hotch and then phones were pulled out and pictures taken before all of the babies started being passed around.

Rossi finally found the chance to sit by his friend. “I see you are brace free.”  He whispered.

Aaron smiled, “I was cleared to take it off earlier.  You’re the first person to say anything.”

“Well, no offence, but you’ve been overshadowed here.”

“I know.”  He stared around the room, “I didn’t even think about it until Emily wanted that picture… I know legally Emily’s babies aren’t mine, but deep down their mine.  And I will still have this connection and she wants them to one day know who I am.  I sat there and it was ‘holy shit I made five kids’.”

Rossi laughed and patted his shoulder, “You’ll be just fine Aaron.  You’ be just fine.”

The team hung out and laughed until the staff finally made them all leave several hours after visiting time had finished.  Each one went home happy at the new life blessed to their little family.


End file.
